My Devkit device is stuck at the activation step, it says “Error retrieving merchant information”, why is this happening?

How can I set up a test device for developing my app?

Developers can use the Development APKs to run the Clover Launcher from an emulator or personal Android device. See our Video Tutorial for a detailed walk through of setting up an emulated Clover Station

What is the merchantID? How does it relate to the employeeID?

The merchant ID is an ID assigned by Clover to the business. A business may have multiple devices and employees. The owner of the business (along with managers and employees) each have an employeeID associated with their account. When looking at the OAuth Response keep in mind that you can see who the current user is by using the employee_id. You can use the merchant_id to see which business the user belongs. You must use themerchant_id when making API calls.

When do I use an OAuth API Token, a merchant API Token, and my App Secret?

For production apps, developers should use an API token that is generated via OAuth. This token gives a particular app access to the Clover API for a specific merchant. Remember to use the App Secret when using the Authorization code method of OAuth. For testing purposes only, it is possible to get a merchant API Token for your test merchant via the Setup App.

How can I get the merchantID and a merchant API Token for my own test merchant?

This video demonstrates how to get the merchantID and a basic merchant API Token for your own test merchant for use in development and testing. We strongly recommend that any production Clover app use OAuth API Tokens.

Where can I get an API token for a particular merchant account without creating an app and having the merchant install the app?

Have the merchant generate a token for you in the API Tokens section of the Setup App. This token has limited functionality (it does not support CORS) so you should only use it if OAuth is not an option.

How long do API tokens last?

API tokens will work until the merchant uninstalls your app.

How can my app differentiate between Clover devices and non-Clover devices?

How can my app differentiate between real merchants and test merchants?

If you have a paid app, you may want to know whether you can bill a given merchant. For example, test merchant accounts used by developers and sales people are not billable, so you will not get paid for apps installed to these types of accounts.

How do I notify a merchant of important changes?

You can notify your Android app running on the Clover devices via App Notifications. Once your app launches you can show a notification in the Android notification area, launch a Clover app via Intents and Broadcasts, or launch your own Activity.